Oscar Melsan, 31, of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Melsan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John McBryde.
The sentence marks the end of a long-running investigation and prosecution, with all 14 defendants in the conspiracy now having been sentenced. The conspiracy involved the distribution of methamphetamine in the Northern District of Texas, with defendants facing a range of charges and sentences.
Three defendants, Miguel Antonio Martinez, 32, Bobbie Frie, Jr., 31, and Marcus Caldwell, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Martinez was sentenced to 232 months, Frie to 340 months, and Caldwell to 235 months. Six other defendants, David Sheppard, 40, Kendra Ward, 28, Eric Overstreet, 28, Jonathan Morris, 31, Robert Baggott, 45, and Cecil Hindman, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and were sentenced to 235 months, 220 months, 240 months, 180 months, 188 months, and 150 months, respectively.
Two defendants, Susan Williams, 29, and Raymondo Acuna, 32, each pleaded guilty to one substantive count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and were each sentenced to 200 months. Co-conspirators Hector Saldivar, 33, and lead defendant Cleto Tarin, 53, were convicted on two counts each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance at trial in April 2016. Saldivar was sentenced to 400 months and Tarin was sentenced to 420 months.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wichita Falls Police Department. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, with U.S. Attorney John Parker announcing the sentence.
The sentence of Oscar Melsan brings to a close a major methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in the Northern District of Texas. The investigation and prosecution demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combating drug trafficking and distribution in the region. The sentences handed down to the defendants reflect the seriousness of the crimes committed and the need to protect the public from the dangers of methamphetamine.
The case highlights the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in investigating and prosecuting complex drug trafficking cases. The use of conspiracy charges and substantive counts of possession with intent to distribute allows prosecutors to hold defendants accountable for their roles in the conspiracy and to seek significant sentences to reflect the seriousness of the crimes committed.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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